Friday, February 17, 2006

Tree Gets Ax For Public Drunkenness

Even though this has nothing to do with baseball, it's sports-related, nonetheless, and with that I inform you that the gal wearing the Stanford tree mascot costume was busted for public drunkenness.

"She was taking drinks inside the tree," said Kevin Klintworth, assistant athletic director at Cal. "The officers could see the flask through the costume.''

Erin Lashnits, 23, a fifth-year undergraduate biology student, was given a breath test shortly after halftime of the Feb. 9 game at Haas Pavilion. Authorities said the test showed she had a blood alcohol level of 0.15 percent, nearly twice the legal limit for driving. She was cited for public drunkenness and told to leave the court but was allowed to watch the rest of the game from the grandstand.

...

"I apologize,'' she said. "I made a bad decision, and I wish I could take it back. ... I don't think [breathalyzers] lie, but I felt fine, and I was certainly able to do my job," she said. "I'd like to put this whole thing behind me. The last thing I want to do is hurt the Stanford band."

The team has had a ban on alcohol since a rowdy return from a 2003 game against USC. Stanford spokesman Sam Urmy said police reaction was understandable:

"She wasn't doing anything offensive,'' Urmy said. "She was just jumping and dancing. The tree's movement is usually consistent with that of someone who's had something to drink.''

Great plug for your mascot, there.... Thanks to Ben P at Dodger Thoughts for the tip.

collegesports.com has the complete history; it appears the tree is not a mascot, but a member of the band, so I was wrong in that department. The team used to be known as the Indians, the Cardinals, and now is the Cardinal. Yow.